New Ulm weekly review., 1887-03-23

thick woods again, I found a bow from
her throat on bush, and here the earth
had been torn up and the bushes broken
down to prove . struggle. It was one
which must have lasted for some time
and been fercely contested, and had
no sooner looked over the ground than
I knew that Jennie's dead body would
be found somewhere in the woods. As
to the locality. soon found broken
twigs-a bit of dress on a bush--heavy
footprints in the rich soil. and other
plain evidence of her being dragged or
carried along through the underground
to point twenty rods from the path.
There, in an open space not more than
twenty feet square, with a thicket on
three sides, l found the body. Decom-
position had set in, of course, and the
odor greeted my nostrils before my
eyes made the discovery.
That murder had been committed
there could be no doubt. The girl lay
on. her back, her feet drawn up, her
clothing badly torn and in disorder, and
while one hand clinched stout stick,
the other had dying clutch on a colt
| button-just match for those left on
Will Graftcn's coat. She had been
choked to death, and was horrible
sight, her eyes stood wide open, her
tongue out, and a look of agony on her
| bloated face. I examined the finger
nails and found blood and flesh under
them, left there as she clawed the half
! idiot s face and hand. On the ground
was tobacco-box, which he after
wards identified and boldly claimed.
A murder had been committed, and |
had discovered the murderer; but was
not as enthusiastic over it as you may
have imagined. He was son mill
lionaire, and the father would spend
his last dollar to save him. Riches
control public opinion and, in some in
stances, the verdict of juries.
After an examination lasting quar-
ter of an hour and having carefully
gathered and preserved all possible
proofs, [ set out to bring the coron er
and jury. I mad evidence enough to
warrant me in arresting Will Grafton
at once, butt felt that it would be
safer to 60 slow and wait for the opin-
ion of the jury. It was Il matter of
two hours before the officer and his
jury arrived, and all had not yet viewed
the body when Mr.. Grafton and two
OF three others arrived in an excited
state of mind and announced that Fritz,
the coachman, had been captured. and
had partially confessed to the deed.
This news was, as you may imagine, q
shock to me. l had not, in the first
place, heard that the coachman was
suspected, although he had gone off sc
hurriedly. Mr.. Grafton had utterly re-
fused to point the finger of suspicion
that way during our talk in the morn
ing, but had held to the theory that
the girl had run off with some giddy
companions to lead less respectable
career. His statement that Fritz was
probably guilty so upset me that kept
! my proofs in my pocket and gave the
jury NO hint. The inquest was adjourn
ed until evening, and was then re-
sumed at the house, while Fritz wat
; present in charge of an officer. HI
| had been arrested at a town thirty
| miles away, and attention had beer
l first called to him by his attempt tt
. commit suicide by drowning. Whel
5 charged with the murder he did no
! deny it. When pressed to make :
). confession he uttered a groan Of de
t spair and replied:
= Maybe did. for have been Graz
l for four or five days. Let me go an
S kill myself -
yl When searched few shillings i
: money and q pocket-knife and othe
0 articles were found on his person. II
n was free of wounds or bruises of an
d sort, and no buttons were missing frol
) his garments. Before he was called ,
d face the jury I began to grope for til
: cause of his flight. It could not be fo
:, the murder of the girl, for he was innt
It cent. It must be on account of il
e formation received in that foreig
d letter. went at once to his room j
|, the barn, which no one had yet examil
r ed and there I,found the envelope il
I tact, but the letter torn into twent
t. fragments and flung on the floor. 4
h gathered up the pieces and pasted thel
e together, and then had the clew to b
k actions. 1t was Il letter from h
l. mother in Germany, and it containe
a two pieces of Important news. Firs
II the mother, who was widow. ha
n been robbed .ef her every dollar by i
vestigating in some wildcat speculatio
g on the advice of friends, and, secondl
I. IL E,,;t 4ol